Union rejects Hormel contract offer as ‘simply not good enough’

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:52:28 GMT

Union rejects Hormel contract offer as ‘simply not good enough’ AUSTIN, Minn. — Members of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 663 in Austin rejected Hormel Foods Corp.’s latest contract offer as “simply not good enough.”The union local, which represents about 1,700 meatpacking workers in Austin, held a member vote on Wednesday and Thursday in Austin’s UFCW union hall.“This week our coworkers voted overwhelmingly to reject Hormel’s final offer to us. It’s simply not good enough. We stand united and are willing to fight for more for our families and our community,” reads a statement sent by Jessica Hayssen of UFCW.The union cited employee pay as a major issue in the negotiations.“Hormel’s record profits are just wages not shared fairly with the rest of us. The reality is that we keep Hormel running. We demand that Hormel does better and comes to the table for a fair agreement quickly,” the UFCW statement says.The current four-year contract approved in 2019 was set to expire on Sept. 10, 2023, but it has been extended to Oct. 8 as negot...

DocGo CEO resigns

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:52:28 GMT

DocGo CEO resigns ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The CEO of DocGo, the company that signed a large contract to help New York City with the migrant crisis, has resigned. A notice of Anthony Capone's departure was obtained by NEWS10. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! His resignation, which was handed in on Friday, is effective immediately. Capone cited "personal reasons" for stepping down. News of his resignation also comes after a Times Union report that states Capone allegedly lied about his graduate degree from Clarkson University. The resignation comes as controversy grows around DocGo and whether they're providing the promised services to asylum seekers.The New York Department of State is conducting an audit of security firms hired by DocGo. The New York attorney general is also looking into the for-profit company. A report in The New York Times said the AG is investigating for possible violations of state and federal laws over the people i...

UAW strike: Ford lays off 600 in Michigan, picketing continues in Wentzville

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:52:28 GMT

UAW strike: Ford lays off 600 in Michigan, picketing continues in Wentzville WENTZVILLE, Mo. - Ford announced layoffs of nearly 600 autoworkers at its Michigan assembly plant Friday, citing a historic UAW strike as the reason for the layoffs, according to several national reports. Around 13,000 workers nationwide, or less than 10 percent of the UAW's total hourly workers, have walked out. Many spent Friday on the picket lines, and it's part of a calculated strategy to try to make the union's strike funds last longer.Locally and nationally, Wentzville is the focus of a new strategy by UAW workers. Wentzville worker walkouts began close to midnight Friday in an unusual way. UAW Local 2250 is trying to send a message that what's happening here could happen in another community next. SCHEDULE: 2023 Great Forest Park Balloon Race events "This strategy will keep the companies guessing," said Shawn Fain, UAW President. "It will give our national negotiators maximum leverage and flexibility in bargaining." Among the union's demands, a 36% pay raise (down from the...

St. Louis-area high school football back on track after rough start

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:52:28 GMT

St. Louis-area high school football back on track after rough start ST. LOUIS - In the first few weeks of high school football in the St. Louis area, at least four schools needed to forfeit, cancel, or postpone games because of fights.Two weeks ago, Vashon had to forfeit its home game against Cardinal Ritter because of multiple fights.“Now it seems to be spreading all around,” Cardinal Ritter athletic director Robert Wallace told FOX 2 on Friday. “No matter who you play, you might have an incident because most of the time, it's outsiders that are coming to the game.”   SCHEDULE: 2023 Great Forest Park Balloon Race events Wallace said the Sept. 1 cancellation was the first game he’s had cancelled due to fights in his four years at Cardinal Ritter. This Friday, it seemed things were back to normal. Patrick Jackson, a Cardinal Ritter parent, was tailgating before the game. “It’s a tradition,” he said. “I’ve always felt safe. I’ve never had an issue, never had a concern.”   Cahokia, Granite City and St. Mary’s South Side Catholic High School are other...

Lauren Boebert apologizes for actions during “Beetlejuice” at Buell Theatre: “I’m truly sorry”

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:52:28 GMT

Lauren Boebert apologizes for actions during “Beetlejuice” at Buell Theatre: “I’m truly sorry” U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert apologized for her actions during a Sunday performance of the “Beetlejuice” musical in downtown Denver, where she was escorted out of the venue for vaping, recording and causing a disturbance.In a statement released Friday night, Boebert said she did not remember vaping that evening but acknowledged her recollection “was not accurate.”Related ArticlesColorado News | Opinion: Boebert’s “outrageous” behavior at “Beetlejuice” shows, again, her astounding sense of entitlement Colorado News | Lauren Boebert escorted out of “Beetlejuice” musical in Denver after “causing a disturbance” Colorado News | Another Republican jumps into crowded race against Rep. Lauren Boebert Colorado News | Letters: Book bans in Colorado? Don’t tread on reading rights Colorado News | Democrat Adam Frisch leads against Rep. Lauren Boebert in poll for 202...

This is what the interior of California's high-speed trains might look like

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:52:28 GMT

This is what the interior of California's high-speed trains might look like As the California High-Speed Rail to continues to march slowly toward reality, concept art was released which showed what the inside of one of the high-speed trains might look like when they are built.On Friday, the California High-Speed Rail Authority shared images on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter, that showed what the interior of one of its trains could look like.The preliminary concept art was designed based off feedback from future riders and project partners, as well as members of the multilingual and disability communities, officials said.The photos show long benches, an individual seat facing a table and standard front-facing seats in both two- and three-seat configurations.The California High-Speed Rail released concept renderings that show what the interior of its trains might look like when the service launches in 2030. (California High-Speed Rail Authority)While much of the feedback was positive, some comments were critical of the three-seat configura...

3 teens arrested for Corona park shooting

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:52:28 GMT

3 teens arrested for Corona park shooting Three juvenile suspects were arrested after a teen boy was found shot in Corona on Thursday night.The suspects were identified as one 14-year-old and two 16-year-olds, according to the Corona Police Department.Police responded to reports of a shooting at Promenade Park located at 615 Richey Street around 8:23 p.m.Arriving officers found the victim, identified as an 18-year-old male, with gunshot wounds to both of his legs. The suspects fled the scene before authorities could arrive. The victim was transported to a local hospital where he remains in stable condition on Friday night. Officials began canvassing the park and air units dispatched from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department and the Riverside Police Department aided in the search.  Father, daughter killed in Compton gang shooting, suspects at large The three teens were eventually found hiding in a field next to the park.They were taken into custody and were identified as the suspects involved, police said. A hand...

Shaquille O'Neal appears in L.A. Port Police recruiting video

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:52:28 GMT

Shaquille O'Neal appears in L.A. Port Police recruiting video The big man is lending a big hand to the Los Angeles Port Police recruiting effort.NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal recently taped a light-hearted promotion in which he’s summoned to help apprehend a (fictitious) bad guy on the run.  “We need the Big Aristotle,” one L.A. Port police officer says. “Bring in the diesel!” shouts another in the video, which was shared on social media this week.Shaq eventually arrives clinging to an armored vehicle, and the bad guy surrenders.Shaquille O’Neal appears in an L.A. Port Police recruiting video. Sept. 2023. “Team is more important than any one of us,” Shaq says. “If you have what it takes to join the Los Angeles Port Police, come on down. It’s time to dive in.”"Big thanks to @SHAQ for his continued support for law enforcement and spending time with his old police department," Port Police tweeted. "It was great to see him back in our uniform!"O’Neal, 51, played 19 seasons in the NBA, including eight with the Los Angeles Lakers. He won four NBA...

Ted’s Budz Co Preps for Ted Fest 2 in DTLA

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:52:28 GMT

Ted’s Budz Co Preps for Ted Fest 2 in DTLA Ted’s Budz Co and its stable of heaters are prepping to take over the roof of Cookied DTLA this weekend. This will be the second annual edition of Ted Fest and the biggest ever. Ted’s is moving to a model where it’s going to start hosting its own events more, to give the brands the company is distributing a chance to get out into the community without getting taxed by event producers. This edition will feature The Gooniez, Super Dope, Blackleaf, Zatix and a host of other SoCal heat cultivators. We sat down with Ted this week as he was preparing for the festivities Saturday night from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., at 921 Venice Blvd. “I’m going to start throwing events myself instead of going to other people’s events since we distribute for so many really good cultivators and really good brands,” Ted told L.A. Weekly. “Everyone that I worked with works really hard. It’s hard to get them to come out because they’re so stuck in daily tasks.”Those little things that keep the farm...

LA’s Newest Equity Pot Shop Opens After 5-Year Battle

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:52:28 GMT

LA’s Newest Equity Pot Shop Opens After 5-Year Battle Off The Charts x Cadre had a soft opening in late July, with its official Grand Opening a few weeks ago, but getting to those milestones was a long drawn-out fight.Founder Madison Shockley III started the fight five years ago. At the time, his partners at Off The Charts only had one other shop. With Shockley finally getting his new spot on E. 61st Street open, the company now has 14 dispensaries dotted around the state. And the menus look solid with names like Fig Farms, Alien Labs, and Connected anchoring the top shelf above a bunch of good deals.But this tale is more about what Shockley had to go through so he could stock that fire after first learning about the equity program in 2018.“I had a different location back in 2019 when I applied originally, and then the first-come first-served process was mismanaged, so I actually led the lawsuit against the city of L.A., on account of the first round of social equity permitting,” Shockley told L.A. Weekly.Shockley and the other plainti...